Reclining-chair



N0. 611,049. Patented Sept. 20, |898.

E. E. ALLEN.

RECLINING CHAIR.

(Appxicmun med Aug. si, 1897 @v3 WML.

Brion.

ELMER ELLSVORTH ALLEN, OF SUNDERLAND, VERMONT.

RECLlNlNG-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. e11,o4e,1atedseptember 2o, 189e.) Application iiled August 3l, 1897. Serial No. 650,152.v (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that v I, ELMER ELLswoRTH ALLEN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Sunderland, in the county of Bennington and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Reclining-Chair, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chairs; and the improvement bears more particularly upon the general construction of the chair and the instrumentalities wherebythejsame ,is adjustable from an upright to a recumbent position and to the means whereby a practically continuous yielding surface is had for the back, seat, and leg rest.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction without depart# ing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and toa full disclosure of theinvention an'adaptation thereof is shown in vthe accompanying" drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a reclining-chair constructed in accordance with this invention, the full lines showing the chair in an upright position and the dotted lines in an adjusted position. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing the means whereby a sliding connection is had between the legrest and one of the bars pivoted to the chairframe. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a bar upon which the leg-rest is slidably mounted, showing the means for pivotally connecting it to the chair-frame. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the front end of one of the horizontal bars connecting the back and leg rests. Fig. 5 is a detail View of lan upright connecting the front end of an arm-rest with the chair-frame. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a rear corner of the chair-frame. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views showing the manner of connecting the framebars of the component parts of the chair.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated -in the several views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

The chair-frame has its side bars 1 extended beyond the rear bar 2 and the back-rest 3 pivoted to the said extensions, and the bars comprising the said frame are secured to angle-irons 4 by screws or other fastenings generally employed forl attaching irons to woodwork when fastening such parts together. This construction obviates the use of glue in the formation of joints, which is of advantage in the event of the'chair being used in damp places. The legs 5 are attached to the corners' of the chair or seat frame by being screwed thereto, the meeting portions being halved, so as to secure a neat finish.

The back-rest 3 has irons 6 securedtoits lower end and pivoted to the rear extensions of the side bars 1 about midway of their ends, saidirons having forward extensions opposite their pivotal points' to receive thesaid pivots and having their lower ends projecting below the chair or seat frame and having horizontal bars 7 pivotally connected therewith, said horizontal bars having their' rear ends curved downwardly and their front' ends curved upwardly, as indicated at 8, thence extending forwardly paralled with thefmain body, as shown at 9, thence bent vertically, as shown at 10, and provided with horizontal slots 11 to receive pivots 12, extending inwardly from the side bars of the leg-rest 13. The curved portion 8 of thebars 7'pr'ovides, in effect, a cam to act upon a pin or projection 14 of an arm 15, forming a part of an iron 16, pivoted to the front bar of the chair-frame, and upon pressing backward upon the backrest 3 the horizontal bars 7 are moved forward, vand their curved or cam portions; 8, engaging with the pins 14, andin conjunction withthe slot 11, engaging with'thepm 12, cause the arms 15 to move'from a horizontal to a vertical position', and theleg-rest, being at right Vangles and secured to or having connection with the said arms 15, is moved from a vertical to a horizontal position, as will be readily understood. A shoulder 17 is formed at the juncture of the parts 8 and 9 of each bar 7 and engages with the adjacent pin 14 and limits the forward movement of the backrest, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. A lip or extension 18 projects rearwardly from the shoulder 17 and overlaps the pin 14, so as to IOO hold the latter against the shoulder and prevent slipping or accidental disengagement of the parts 14 and 17.

The arm-rests 19 have pivotal connection at their rear ends with the back-rest 3, and uprights 2O pivotally connect the front ends of the arm-rests with the front portion of the seat-frame. Binding-nuts 21, mounted upon the threaded ends of the pivotal connections between the uprights 2O and chair-frame, secure the parts in an adjusted position in the usual way.

Bars 22 are rigidly connected with the irons 1G and operate loosely in ways 23, formed in the inner faces of the side bars of the legrest, and are provided near their free ends with projections 24C, forming stops to limit the outward movement of the leg-rest when the chair is extended by engaging with the shouldered portions of plates 25, attached to the inner faces of the side bars of the legrest and projecting over the grooves or ways 23 formed therein.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the leg-rest has a pivotal and limited sliding connection with the horizontal bars 7 and a limited sliding movement with respect to the pivoted bars 22, thereby admitting of the leg-rest being extended when changing the chair from an upright to a recumbent position and of its moving inward and upward when folding the leg-rest, so that the latter will come close against the front end of the chair-frame when closed, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The back-rest, chair or seat frame, and legrest may be upholstered and cushioned in any manner found most desirable, according to the make and style of the chair.

A spring 37 is interposed between the upper portion of the leg-rest and a cross-bar 3S of the front legs to move the leg-rest inward and return the chair to a normal or upright position when not occupied and the bindingnuts 2l have been loosened. Vhen the chair is in a normal or upright position, the movable parts are held in place by a spring-catch 39, applied to one of the front legs and engaging with a stop 40, applied to the leg-rest, said spring-catch extending within easy reach to be released by the occupant without necessitatin g his leaving the chair. The springcatch is a resilient bar rmly attached at one end to a leg 5 and having its opposite end formed into a handle and extending within convenient reach to be readily grasped, and this bar is formed on its outer side with a projection which normally extends across the path of a corresponding projection or stop 40, applied to a side member or bar of the legrest. The projections are disposed so that when the leg-rest is turned into a vertical position the stop 40 will ride past the projection to the spring-bar 3S) and automatically engage therewith. rlhe leg-rest is released, when it is desired to change the chair from an upright to any other position, by pressing outward upon the free end of the spring-bar 30, as will be readily understood. A

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a reclining-chair, the combination of a back-rest pivoted to the chair-frame and having downward extensions, a leg-rest having pivotal connection with the front end of the chair-frame, horizontal bars below the seat having pivotal connection with the downward extensions of the back-rest and having their front ends bent vertically and having longitudinally-disposed slots, and pins passing through the said slots, and securing the said horizontal bars by a sliding and pivotal connection with the leg-rest, and a pinand-hook connection between the leg-rest and horizontal bars, substantially in the manner set forth and for the purpose specified.

2. In areclining-chair, the combination of a back-rest pivoted to the rear portion of the seat-frame, a leg-rest having pivotal connection with the front portion of the said seatframe, arms projecting from the inner or rear side of the leg-rest and having lateral pins, and horizontal bars having pivotal connection with the back-rest and pivotal and sliding connection with the leg-rest and having cam portions near their front ends to engage with the lateral pins of the aforesaid arms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a reclining-chair, the combination of a bach-rest pivoted to the chair-frame, a movable leg-rest, arms extending from the rear side of the leg-rest and having lateral pins, and bars located below the seat and connecting the back-rest with the leg-rest, and having cam portions and forwardly-projecting parts at their front ends, and having shoulders at the juncture of the cam and forwardlyextending parts to receive the lateral pins of the aforesaid arms,substantially as described.

a. In a reclining-chair, the combination of a pivoted back-rest, pivoted bars, a leg-rest slidably mounted upon the pivoted bars, and horizontal bars connecting the back-rest with the leg-rest, whereby the latter is simultaneously turned and slid upon the pivoted arms, substantially as set forth.

5. In a reclining-chair, the combination of a pivoted back-rest having portions extending downwardly from its pivotal support, pivoted bars, a leg-rest slidably mounted upon the pivoted bars and having a limited movement thereon, and horizontal bars having pivotal connection with the said downward extensions of the back-rest and having a pivotal and sliding connection with the leg-rest, substantially in the manner set forth for the purpose described.

G. In a reclining-chair, the combination of a pivoted back-rest, pivoted bars, arms extending inwardly from the pivoted bars and provided with lateral pins, a leg-rest slidably mounted upon the pivoted bars, and longitudinal bars connecting the back-rest with the leg-rest and having cam portions to engage IOO IIO

with the lateral pins of the arms applied to the pivoted bars, substantially as set forth.

7. In a reclining-chair, the combination of a pivoted back-rest, irons having pivotal oonneetion with the front portion of the chair'- frame and provided with inwardly-extending arms having lateral pins, bars secured to the pivoted irons and having stops near their lower ends, a leg-rest slidably mounted upon the said bars and having grooves or ways in the inner faces of its side bars, plates extending oveil the said grooves or ways to retain the bars therein and adapted to engage with the stops of the said bars and limit the out- ELMER ELLSVVORTH ALLEN.

Witnesses:

A. STANLEY HALEY, ,IosIAH D. GREGORY. 

